Chapter 51: The Manipulator

The film crew had paused shooting, and Brittany didn't know when it would resume. Matthew, having nothing to do, decided to return to drama school the next day. As soon as he entered the classroom, he found many people staring at him like he was a giant panda, including Rachel McAdams, who was usually friendly with him.

"What's going on?" Matthew approached Rachel in the corner of the room, curious. "Is there something on my face?"

Rachel didn't answer his question. Instead, she asked with curiosity, "Did you hook up with Brittany Spears?"

"No," Matthew had already seen the newspapers. "You believe the tabloids?"

He explained, "Brittany was injured yesterday, and I helped her into the car. Some reporters must have taken photos."

Rachel went to her bag on the floor and pulled out a copy of "USA News Report," handing it to Matthew. "It looks real on here."

Matthew had already read this newspaper early in the morning. The front page featured a photo of him carrying Brittany, with a headline blasting their alleged romance!

Not only that, but the article vividly described his identity and how, supposedly with Brittany's help, he landed the role of the male lead in a music video...

The gossip column ended with the name of the reporter—Elena Boyar!

Matthew guessed that Elena was among the reporters yesterday, but he had been too preoccupied to notice them.

Rachel put away the newspaper. "I thought you were capable enough to actually score a date with Brittany, but it's fake."

"What do you mean by 'fake'?" Matthew spread his hands. "Ask the guys in class, who wouldn't want to date Brittany?"

He shook his head. "The problem is, Brittany isn't someone you can just date whenever you want."

His phone rang at that moment. He pulled it out of his bag and pressed the answer button, hearing Helen Herman's voice.

"Congratulations, Matthew. You're famous now."

Matthew chuckled dryly, "I just helped her out, didn't do anything."

Helen continued, "Did you see today's 'USA News Report'?"

"I did," Matthew nodded.

"Let's cut to the chase," Helen went straight to the point. "Because of the previous revelation in 'USA News Report' about the feud between Brittany Spears and Christina Aguilera, which turned out to be true, today's article has also attracted widespread attention. As far as I know, lots of paparazzi and entertainment reporters are digging into your past, and they'll probably find you soon."

"Where are you now?"

"Los Angeles School of Performing Arts," Matthew replied.

"Remember this," Helen advised. "If reporters and paparazzi catch up to you and ask about your affair with Brittany, don't say anything offhand, got it?"

"I understand," Matthew knew what she meant.

"The best way is to keep your mouth shut! Neither confirm nor deny."

Having spent a few months in Hollywood, Matthew quickly grasped Helen's strategy and immediately said, "I get it."

By not acknowledging the nonexistent gossip, there was no need to worry about pressure from the record company or Brittany's management; by not denying it, he left room for the media to speculate, which could help hype his fame.

Unquestionably, Helen's strategy was the most beneficial for him.

Matthew also anticipated that the record company would eventually clarify, possibly asking him to come forward, but until then, he could remain silent.

After hanging up, Matthew put away his phone. Rachel suddenly said, "Your manager is smart."

"Huh?" Matthew was puzzled.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Rachel gestured a phone with her hand, reminding Matthew, "You should change your phone; it leaks sound badly."

Matthew took out the old second-hand phone, realizing, "So that's it."

Phone leaks were often hard to notice by the user. If Rachel hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have known it was so severe.

Luckily, it was just him and Rachel in that corner, or it would have been awkward.

Then, he recalled an incident. When Martin Jackson had called him, Michael Sheen had been nearby. Since the phone leaked sound, could Michael have overheard his conversation with Martin and then gone to the hotel?

Matthew looked at the old phone again, thinking about the leak. Indeed, it was time for a new phone, though he wasn't sure how expensive phones were these days.

As he pondered this, the classroom door was pushed open from the outside, and David Aster walked in, signaling the start of the morning's acting class.

Meanwhile, in a Los Angeles newsroom, the editor-in-chief sat behind his desk, looking at the tall female reporter opposite him with a complex expression.

"Good job, Elena," the editor seemed very pleased with Elena Boyar's recent work. "First, the personal feud between Brittany Spears and Christina Aguilera, and now

 Brittany's new romance. You've given me a lot of surprises."

Elena smiled, taking precautions, "Sir, I should mention again, Brittany's romance is fake."

"It doesn't matter!" the editor dismissed with a wave of his hand. "As long as the readers like it, as long as it boosts our newspaper sales, then it's real!"

He then asked, curious, "Where do you get all this information? And how did you verify Matthew Horner's identity so quickly?"

"I have an informant," Elena wasn't foolish enough to reveal her sources. "Plus a bit of luck."

Seeing that Elena was unwilling to divulge more, the editor knew it would be difficult to extract anything further, so he said, "Your bonus this month is doubled, keep up the good work!"

"I will." But Elena's expression tightened a bit.

"Alright, go on back to work," the editor waved her off. "Keep digging into this story."

Elena turned and left the editor's office, her dissatisfaction evident once the door was closed.

The editor had previously promised her an associate editor position, but now he didn't even mention it, as if he had never said it.

"F%@K!" She couldn't help but curse. "Such a bastard!"

Faced with a boss who wanted to suppress her, Elena had no choice but to continue working.

In the hospital, in a boring room, Brittany lay staring at the ceiling, annoyed by the gossip her manager had mentioned to her. These reporters could really make up anything.

Brittany admitted that Matthew had made a good impression on her, but strictly speaking, they had only really met yesterday.

Those guys, as ridiculous as could be, were even more shameless than Christina Aguilera.

Suddenly, the door to the hospital room was pushed open, and Brittany saw her father, Jamie Spears, storming in with a newspaper in hand, followed hurriedly by the previously out-going manager.

"Look at the mess you've made!" Jamie threw the newspaper on Brittany's hospital bed, loudly questioning, "Look at who you're dating! A poor boy from Texas!"

Having grown up under her father's control, Brittany could only respond weakly, "Dad, it's not like that..."

"Boo, I've told you!"

Her words were harshly interrupted by Jamie, "Focus on your career now! Even if you want a boyfriend, he should be at your level!"

Brittany felt powerless against Jamie, turning to her manager for help. The manager stepped forward, placing himself between Jamie and Brittany, saying, "Jamie, calm down!"

"How can I be calm!" Jamie's voice didn't lower. "Boo is about to be fooled by a poor boy!"

"Jamie!" The manager had to raise his voice, "It's just tabloid hype! I was there all day yesterday, Brittany and Matthew Horner just met!"

Before Jamie could react, he added, "I was just contacting the record company and Matthew Horner's manager, planning to clarify this matter together!"

Jamie paused, then asked, "Really?"

The manager felt like banging his head, finally understanding why Brittany's thinking was always so simple—it was inherited.

"Of course, it's true!" he emphasized. "Do I need to lie to you? Not only you don't want to see Boo dating a small actor, our management company and the record company feel the same!"

Their conversation completely ignored Brittany's presence.

"Small actor?" Brittany didn't see it that way at all. "Matthew is really nice, enthusiastic, outgoing, and cool..."

With her controlling father still there, Brittany just thought about it and didn't dare say it out loud.

Jamie believed the manager's words and asked, "Have you contacted the record company and that guy's manager?"

"The record company, I've already contacted, and they're also concerned about this matter," the manager furrowed his brows. "But I can't reach Helen Herman, Matthew Horner's manager, her phone is unreachable, and her assistant at her company said she's out of town on business and forgot her phone."

"When will she be back?" Jamie asked again.

"Probably in two or three days," the manager felt something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint what. After all, it's common for entertainment agents to travel on business. "Her assistant said they would help us contact her."